Clarksville to let river flood town

In Clarksville, crews are working quickly to remove benches from the riverfront. City officials have elected to not fight the imminent flooding that will occur this year.

Clarksville will let a Mississippi River flood inundate town this week due to a lack of funding to battle it and a Catch-22 reimbursement situation with the federal government.

City officials were going door-to-door on Tuesday, July 1, advising citizens that flood was imminent.

“We are not sandbagging,” said Clarksville Mayor Jo Anne Smiley. “We’re trying to get to everybody and tell them they’re on their own.”

Residents were also being contacted by telephone.

Meanwhile, city crews were clearing benches out of Riverfront Park and Front Street merchants were measuring the pavement to see how many concrete barriers they would need to battle the rising waters.

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